Friday, September 14, 2018

For context of this post, watch a few dozen seconds of the video here.

So much information right at our fingertips. So much false information easily debunked, and the replacement then quickly debunked, and debunked, and debunked. It's almost too much to sort out sometimes.

A friend told me years ago to "hold all revelation (information) loosely", and what wise advice that has been. When you claim humility and openness to more truth, you're able to receive more. To claim pride and know it all already, there's no room for more.

Only recently we could see that inside an atom were protons, neutrons, and electrons, and we trust that super-powered instruments were and are telling us the truth. But the truth is, we're only told that, by people we "trust" to be honest. Are they honest? Can you name who discovered the quark? Who named it?

Only recently do we hear of people re-doubting the heliocentric model of the universe, reverting to previous theories of a flat model. How can anyone claim to know it all?

Setting down stakes for truth only proves ignorance, because you can see an individual quark no more than I can see the outermost star. But in truth, you can see a quark, as it supposedly makes up everything around you.

To claim to know God, based on old books, or to have searched the universe and not found God anywhere and assert God is no were to be found are just two sides of the same coin.

Now, to believe, that's where the marvel, awe and wonder are found, because it allows for revelation of MORE, whether it supports or refutes the claim.

But to make a decision only asserts you know it all, and none of us do, unless we have our own evidence and personal witness.

Lack of tangible evidence does not mean something does not exist, just as I have no evidence of the presence of atoms, quarks, and whatever else is smaller than a quark. Must I believe your witness? Or some unknown scientist? Not all evidence must be tangible, as I can assert I ate chicken salad last year for lunch, but can't prove it to someone any more than you can prove to me whether or not you stopped at a red light this morning. I can't prove to you how a cell phone works on invisible connections, but it works. Sometimes our evidence IS invisible. That doesn't mean it does not exist.

Friday, September 7, 2018

I asked my friend, who is an active, practicing Catholic, how the local congregation has handled the recent news of over 1000 Pennsylvania children being abused by over 300 priests, some of whom had been priests in our town. She told me this, paraphrased:

"The priests knew ahead of time about the news release of the abused. They warned the church that it would be released, and invited them to let them know if there were any further individuals who had suffered abuse. They advocated prayers for the victims, and justice for the accused."

Less than two weeks after that news broke, I learned that Sam Young received a letter for a LDS disciplinary council, due to his efforts to change the LDS bishop's interviews for children and youth. Sam has a website (www.invisiblescubit.wordpress.com) where he has published accounts of many who have dealt with the consequences of closed-door, private interviews where sexually explicit questions have been asked of minors. Some have been molested. Some raped. I have only been able to stomach reading a few accounts due to the extreme graphic nature of so many of them. He has stated that he has received over 3000 accounts to date, though he has not published nearly that many.

The news of his trial reminded me so poignantly of Denver Snuffer, who five years ago and also this weekend, was excommunicated for "apostasy".

[What was his apostate sin worthy of getting the ax? Addressing some of the uglier history of the Church in a book called Passing the Heavenly Gift. Because he wouldn't break contract for publication, he was ex'ed without even being present at his hearing.]

We'll see what happens with Sam - I'm pretty sure it'll be the same for him, and it's likely already decided, just as it was clearly done with Denver. This is not how LDS scripture indicates that these councils are supposed to work. The whole thing IS a kangaroo court, once again. They are becoming all too familiar.

I support Sam Young in his efforts. Because I support him, and the headquarters deems him an apostate, I am technically in open opposition to the LDS Church, which also, in their interpretation, means I'm apostate. That word used to be a very huge insult to me, but seeing the persecution of faithful believers dampens the blow for me, personally. I think this issue begs all churchgoers address a larger doctrine though, which is this:

These men are not God and do not represent God. They don't speak for God, unless of course, they actually have something to relay that is actually FROM God. I don't care what church you participate in. Confessing your "sins" to a man pretending to represent God is not necessary, and to continue to regurgitate the saying that "God is at the head of this C/church" is a reckless teaching. Be careful how you say that, church. Scripture indicates we are to confess to God and in some instances the church body, but not a pseudo-god. If as a society of those who BELIEVE in God - Catholic, Christian, Mormon, whatever - we don't openly speak against this practice collectively, we will CONTINUE to see abuses of power and the pedophiles will have a playground of ladders to climb to claim religious notoriety and safety under their given Church umbrella. Because the church body - particularly the Mormon one - is not allowed to criticize the church head, who is so frequently equated with God Himself. This is the case with the Catholics, and this is especially the case with the Mormons.

I saw in one Facebook group this week where a woman stated (paraphrased): "I believe President Nelson is looking younger every day! I truly believe he is in the process of being translated." Really? The man who had a direct hand in excommunicating SO many believers is being translated?

God may be at the head of the church (little c), but he is certainly not at the head of any of these Churches (big Corp C). That is certainly not to say that God has no influence with them, but to rather say that we make idols of men. It's not fair to them and it's certainly not fair to us as disciples.

And yes, as a 12 year old child I too was routinely asked if I masturbated. I didn't think anything of it, because it was part of the list of questions and the process was approved, stamped, and supported by God, so I thought. I can't even say the "m" word in front of my kids. Gross.